Tirupati: Continuing its offensive against red sanders smuggling, sleuths of Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) arrested two smugglers and seized 107 red sanders logs in Chintalapalli forest area of Komarolu mandal in Prakasam district.
Acting on orders of RSASTF SP P. Srinivas, a team led by DSP Chenchu Babu organised a combing operation from the Kadapa area. The team, comprising Kadapa sub-division reserve inspector Chiranjeevi and reserve sub-inspector Naresh inspected the entry and exit points in the area. On Monday night, they spotted some people in a luggage auto-rickshaw and a motorcycle near Bhairavaswamy Tippa.
When the RSASTF team tried to surround them, the individuals in auto-rickshaw and motorcycle started fleeing. However, task force personnel managed to apprehend two of them. SP Srinivas told reporters here on Wednesday that they seized 107 red sanders logs being loaded in the luggage auto, a motorcycle, three cell phones and cash of ₹30,400. The accused, Rajendra Kumar (41) from Hayathnagar in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana, and Venkata Subbaiah Vasan (43) from Gadikota of Giddalur mandal in Prakasam district have been arrested and a case registered against them. “A thorough investigation is underway and legal action will be taken against those involved,” RSASTF SP stated.
